Houston Blog

Category - Dining

Chef Hugo Ortega is bringing a James Beard medal to Houston. After six nominations for the prestigious James Beard Awards, Ortega was named Best Chef Southwest 2017 last night at a black-tie gala in Chicago. “Oh my goodness, what a moment,” Ortega said upon taking the stage at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He dedicated his award to “the great city of Houston,” his family and staff and concluded by saying: “What can I say? America is beautiful and I’m...

If you wake up to the pitter-patter sound of rain, you may think “there’s nothing to do today.” Although Houston has many excellent outdoor attractions, there are just as exciting opportunities to escape the rain and have fun doing it. Museum-hopping When the weather is wet, it’s a great opportunity to see many of the museums in Houston ! The Houston Museum District includes great options like the Children’s Museum , Museum of Fine Art , Museum of Natural...

Chefs Hugo Ortega of Hugo’s , Xochi , and Backstreet Cafe and Jianyun Ye of Mala Sichuan Bistro will represent Houston at the James Beard Awards this May. The two chefs made the final list of nominees in the Best Chef Southwest category of the renowned culinary industry awards. This is the sixth time that Ortega is nominated for the awards and the first for Ye. Houston had a big showing in the first round of nominations last month with six chefs named as semifinalists in the Best Chef...

Super Bowl LI might be over, but the afterglow shines on and Houstonians are the ones to enjoy a wave of new businesses, many opening up shop Downtown. In the months leading up to the big game, the Central Business District exploded with a dozen new restaurants and bars, many of which center around the bustling Avenida Houston district. Wondering what you might’ve missed? We’ve rounded up the latest additions. Bayou & Bottle The first Texas venture for Richard Sandoval...

Chorizo and egg tacos, fresh French crepes and creme, chicken and waffles...hungry yet? Houston has some of the best breakfast restaurants in the country. We pulled together a list of some of our favorite spots around town to create the ultimate H-Town breakfast guide. Sweet Paris Crêperie & Cafe This Rice Village hotspot offers breakfast fans an authentic taste of France. The menu is the result of careful collaboration with French chefs experimenting with non-traditional ingredients...

February 23 is National Chili Day! Texas is known for its traditional take on the spicy beef and chili pepper stew. Chili was even made the official state dish by the Texas Legislature. But leave it to Houston to take the traditional and turn it into something deliciously different. From chili mac and cheese to python snake chili and nationally acclaimed chili dogs, Houston has all your chili bases covered. We put together a list of the best chili creations around Houston. Time to hunker down

Guest written by Adam Winters Did you know that Houston is the most populous city in Texas, and the 4th most populous in the US? “Houston”, also the first word spoken from the moon, is of course home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center where all flight controls for manned space missions take place. Needless to say, this incredibly big city, which is almost the same size as the island of Oahu, is one of the biggest hubs in the country for all kinds of activities and interests....

Sushi and ceviche lovers are going to be ecstatic about poke—the newest food trend to sweep the city. Pronounced poh-kay, the Hawaiian staple centered around sashimi-grade fish started to gain steam in Houston last year, but an influx of newcomers in 2017 makes it clear that the craze isn’t slowing down. The raw fish salad traces its roots to the Pacific islands, where its served with fresh add-ins (avocado, masago and scallions, for example) and is seasoned with soy sauce. Most...

It’s that time of year again! Crawfish season came early again after warmer winter weather throughout the region. We pulled together a list of the 12 mudbug staples in Houston along with a few picks from our local readers in a Battle of the Mudbugs to help you navigate this delicious time of year. Whether you prefer Vietnamese or Cajun style boils, Htown has them all! (Pro Tip: If you don't know the proper way to eat crayfish, need beer pairings, or want a great recipe, check out our...

Ready to kick 2016 to the curb? Ring in the New Year at some of Houston’s most exciting New Year’s Eve parties with live music, epic fireworks, and delicious food. Here’s a short list of some of our favorite happenings around town. Hotel Celebrations Hotels are expected to bring the most style and panache to Houston’s New Year’s Eve events. From a 50,000-balloon cascade at midnight to glamorous dance parties and multi-course fine dining, hotels around town will...